Claim: Alcohol sales restricted in Turkey to ‘Islamize’ society

Claim: Alcohol sales restricted in Turkey to ‘Islamize’ society

Liberation article falsely alleges that an alcohol sales ban in Turkish grocery shops after 10 pm is targeting ‘secular people who consume alcohol’ instead of to improve public health

On 27 April 2018, an article titled “Vente d'alcool restreinte en Turquie : ‘Ça fait partie de leur volonté d'islamiser la société’” (Alcohol sales restricted in Turkey: ‘it makes part of their will to Islamize the society’) was published in Liberation. Quoting a shopkeeper, the article claims that the government put an alcohol sale ban on grocery stores after 10 pm to “target the seculars.”

“L’argument de la santé publique, je n’y crois pas. Cela fait partie de leur volonté d’islamiser la société. Avec cette loi, ils visent la population laïque, qui consomme, elle, de l’alcool” (I don’t believe in the argument of the public health. It makes part of their will to Islamize the society. With this law, they are targeting the secular people, who consume alcohol.)

However, the article fails to mention that similar restrictions on alcohol sale or advertisement exist in the vast majority of the European countries as well, including France.

In France, alcohol sales are prohibited in many different local administrations after a certain time. Additionally, in certain parts like Boulogne, this prohibition starts as early as 9 pm.

Italy is no different than France. In many Italian cities from Rome to Florence, alcohol sale in grocery shops is prohibited after certain hours. In Turin, the prohibition starts at 8 pm.

In total, 25 countries out of the 28 in the European Union restricted alcohol sale or marketing or both according to a study survey of the European Commission.

About

Fact-checking Turkey monitors the factual accuracy of various news and explanations about Turkey. It follows international and national media and aims to provide accurate information through publicly available sources.